The Indianapolis journal., 1887-05-15
IN THE HOLY CITY,
Bishop Watterson's Visit to Jerusalem and
What He Saw There.

What He Saw There.
London Special New York Herald
Bishop Wattersou, of Columbus O. who ia
here after protracted trip to the contineptand
to the Holy Land, gives his experience in Jeru-
salem He says: After spending nearly month
at Rome | landed at Alexandria. and left Epynt
filed with feelings of intense eaeerness TO be
among the historic scenes of the Holy Land
Landing at Jaffa I journeyed to Jerusalem,
where l venerated Mt sacred places both in and
around the Holy City said mass in the Chapel
of the Holy Sepulcher and was obliged to sleep
in the church all night to be able to do so, as
Turkish soldiers close it at certain hours in the
evening, and will not allow anyone to enter un-
til certain hour in the morning. then went
on to Nazareth through Samaria, taking coun-
try routes everywhere. for otherwise one misses
many very Interesting localities The only
dence of modern civilization l could see in
the Holy Land was a telegraph
Nazareth. Otherwise the country is Just as it
was 1000 years ago. far as progress is con.
cerned Children and grown people the
maicens dressed just as we are famlliarized with
pictures of the Virgin Mary. On one occasion I
telegraphed to Nazareth for horses, where they
less used and, therefore fresher than at
Jerusalem. After four days the horses came in
charge OF a dragoman who had formerly been a
BedouIn. but VINO has for some years been a con-
vert. He was a very good fellow but anx-
ious to spare mis- horses to satisfy my notlons. 1
was continually obliged to keep in the lead in
order to press n.
lone day l said to him: I see now why you
became a Christian; you are to slow too be good
Bedouin.' He laughed and said nothing but on
the last dav of our journey from Mount Carmel
to Nazareth, when was pushing on to get under
shelter before nightfall, he said:
:. " ou told me, the other day. that became
a Christian because [ too slow to make a
good Bedouin. All that have-to say is that 1
could make as good Bedouin as you do
bishop
II appreciated the retort none the less because
it took him so long TO consider it,
Bishop Watterson, in referring to the obiec-
uons sometimes made by non Catholics to relics
and objects of veneratIon from the idea that
they have what purports to be the thing
venerated in two totally different places, spoke
of the column of the scourginC which is kept in
the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem
and yet he said there is another column which is
ignorantly called by some the column of the
scourging shown in the Church of St. Praxides,
Rome. The two things, the Bishop declared,
totally different, both in shape and material,
and therefore, cannot both be the columns of
scourging. The one in Rome, Bishop Watterson
declared, is the column to which the Savior was
tied in the house of Caiaphas on the night of his
passion. Many instances of this kind are to be
met with in the Holy Land, owing to the schis-
matical Christians having up objects and
places for veneration to Siseredit those held
What We're yonr most striking observations
in the Holy Landp'
4.Ah. that would take oooklto tell" sighed the
Bishop. 1t is impossible to convert the people
from Mohammedanism under the present form
of government. The Turks are as watchful to-
day as they were 300 years ago. All the
verts have either to be taken under immediate
protection sent off to France Italy. There
can be no progress in any form for the Holy Land
until the Turkish government is got rid Of 1t
would never have existed were it not for the
apathy of Christian nations. Russia IS very de-
sirous of possessing Palestine. and she is max
ing more headway there than anv nation. The
sisterhood which has obtained a footing IN the
Holy Land is growing in influence Mohamme-
dams and Jews alike attend their schools, but the
nuns are not allowed to teach religion During
my whole four weeks in the Holy Land could
see nothing to indicate that this cradle of Chris
tanity enjoyed ever SO slight share of its in
heritauce."
ezWhen in Jerusalem Bishop Watterson and an
other prelate assisted the Patriarch of Jerusalem
in the ceremony of rendering to the young
Prince of Naples, the Crown Prince of Italy a
religious reception into the Holy City, which the
young man, according to ancient custom entered
on foot. 1t was a great sight. an immense pro-
cession of monks and the religious accompany
ing the Patriarch and the bishops